Summary of theBest Dossiers

To create awareness and mobilize resources as well as the political will, the EFA Week is being celebrated throughout the world every year since 2001. During the Week a specific theme is focused upon. For the current year the theme is Every Child Needs a Teacher. According to the plan laid out by UNESCO, following activities were to be carried out during the Week:

A dossier called 'The Case for Teachers' was to be created by teachers and learners wherein they were to compile evidence on the contribution of teachers towards achieving EFA goals.

On 26th April, declared as 'Official Back to School Day', politicians, parliamentarians and public representatives were to visit a school and discuss the dossiers with the teachers and learners.

A national event called the 'Big Hearing' was to be organized at federal and provincial levels to provide opportunities for public debate on the issues raised by 'The Case for Teachers'.

In pursuance of this plan, teachers from all over the country were approached through respective Provincial and Area governments to prepare a dossier called 'The Case for Teachers' whereby they were asked to identify the (i) issues and challenges of EFA, (ii) highlight teachers' contribution to address these issues and challenges, and (iii) their expectations from the government and the community.

The best dossiers received from all over the country have been placed in the folder being' presented to the Honourable Prime Minister during the 'Big Hearing' on 27 April 2006 at 17:00hrs. The summary of the best dossiers is given in the following pages.

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE)

A. Issues and Challenges

• Lack of awareness about the importance of ECE.
• Accessibility: schools are far away from homes.
• No proper facilities and services are available for ECE.
• Lack of trained, committed and devoted teachers.
• No proper policy or laws have been framed for ECE.
• Lack of adequate funding for ECE.
• Low priority assigned to ECE.
• Lack of long term strategy for providing ECE.
• Quality/affordability of child care, education and development.
• Poverty.
• No regular posts of ECE teachers sanctioned in the public sector.
• No coordination amongst Ministries and agencies working for child care, education and development.
• Non-availability of playgrounds, educational tools, instructional materials for ECE children.
• Lack of statistics/data on ECE programmes.
• Lack of community involvement in ECE programs.

B.Contribution of teachers for achieving EFA goals

• Commitment, dedication and hard work.
• Motivation of parents for ECE.
• Use of audio-visual aids/tools to teach children through entertaining techniques.
• Employment of Female teachers and Assistant Teachers for ECE.
• Motherly affection, love and care for ECE children.
• Setting up of Parents-teachers associations and encouraging interaction between them.
• Creating child friendly and attractive environment for children.

C. Expectations from Government and Community

• Formulation of activity based curriculum for ECE.
• Employment of ECE teachers.
• Pre-service and in-service training of ECE teachers.
• Availability of adequate number of teaching staff to ensure individual attention.
• Establishment of Teachers' Resource Centres.
• Development of teaching kits and instructional materials.
• Availability of Aaya / attendants /governess for ECE classes.
• Special policy provisions for ECE.
• Adequate budget/financial resources for ECE .
• Transportation facilities.
• Health, Nutrition, and day care services for ECE children.
• Establishment of ECE centres by local communities.